Previously known primarily for ground operations, the Philippine Army (PA) has expanded its capabilities and is now able to conduct aerial patrols within the country’s airspace—marking a significant development for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).br br The Army’s Aviation Regiment or “Hiraya” successfully executed a maritime air patrol (MARPAT) last June 11 using a twin-engined Cessna 421B aircraft over the archipelagic and territorial seas of Aurora, Isabela, and Cagayan provinces, as well as the Philippine Rise in the eastern seaboard.